The Redemption Clause: Book 2
by Kijikun1
Summary: Nothing is ever over.
1. Chapter 1

Buddy came to slowly, his head foggy and hurting.

"Good morning, Buddy, so nice of you to join us," a familiar male voice chuckled.

He jerked his head up to see Xerek standing in front of him. "You…" He tried to jerked forward and found himself immobilized.

Xerek smiled. "I thought it be best to restrain you until you had a chance to calm down. After all you wouldn't want to do something you'd regret."

"I don't know how you got me out of the cell, but I'm not working for you again. I'd rather die," Buddy sneered.

"And if you die who will protect them then, Buddy?" Xerek asked leaning down.

Buddy stilled his struggled against the restraints, even though he could feel the metal giving with his right arm. "I don't have anyone I want to protect," he tried to keep his voice steady, his face still.

Xerek chuckled and stood up. "Don't you?"

"No," Buddy snapped, hands tightening into fists.

"Not that curvy little super with the lovely blue eyes?" Xerek asked with a leer.

Buddy's chest felt tight and he couldn't breathe properly.

"Or that sweet little girl? She's making a lovely granddaughter. It be a shame to have to subject her to some of the same…retraining…you went through. I'm not sure she'd hold up as well. What do you think, Buddy?" Xerek asked.

"No," the word came out before Buddy could stop it.

Xerek simply smiled.

"You don't have them," Buddy growled, pulling at his restraints. "Violet can protect herself and Robin."

"Really? Do you think so?" Xerek asked, taping a finger against his chin. "Maybe we should ask them. What do you think, Buddy? Violet's so been missing you." He tapped something against the wall and the door slid open.

Violet stepped inside, wearing the skimpy black uniform that Buddy recognized as what Xerek dressed his pets in. Her hair was cut short and her eyes were…

Buddy let out a growl of rage and anguish.

Her eyes were empty.

Xerek leaned over to Buddy again. "She was quite spirited, still is when the drugs wear off. I've made her come more times than I can count and she still cries out your name." He straightened and stepped towards Violet pulling her to him. He kissed her brutally as he pulled off her clothing. "I wonder if Robin will be as interesting when she grows up a bit…"

Buddy screamed and felt the restraints give against his manic efforts.

He opened his eyes and saw the ceiling of his holding cell. Buddy covered his eyes with his arm and tried to pretend, as he had for almost a month that he didn't live in fear of that nightmare coming true.


	2. Chapter 2

The Redemption Clause: Book 2 (1/?)

Pairing: Violet/Buddy

Rating: PG-13

Violet stroked Robin's hair down then pulled the covers fully around her. Feeling older than her years she got to her feet and headed for the door, only to find her mother there watching.

"She get to sleep okay, Vi?"? Helen asked.

Violet bit her lip to keep from asking why her mother cared, even though she knew that was unfair. Helen Parr had done her best to treat Robin as just a little girl that needed lots of love and comfort. "Think Jack-Jack must have a stash of sugar some place as wound up as they get," she deflected.

"You always went right to sleep, Dash on the other hand…I don't think he ever slept through the night," Helen laughed softly.

Violet nodded stepping into the hall with her mother. "She's just having a hard time adjusting still I guess. I thought after a month she'd be sleeping a little better…"

"She misses her father," Helen murmured touching Violet's shoulder.

"Of course she does. He's her father, she loves him. She didn't get to say goodbye and hasn't been able to see or talk to him." Violet said dully, feeling her chest tighten.

Helen stepped forward and gently hugged her daughter. "She's not the only one missing him, I think," Helen said with more kindness that Violet thought her mother could have on the subject of Buddy Pine.

Violet blinked rapidly trying to keep her vision clear. "It's my fault," she whispered and it felt so good to say it.

"Is it?" Helen asked.

Violet nodded. "I told him we should come here, I told him to trust me."

"So he did it just because you told him to?" Helen prodded. "Is that why he didn't resist when they placed him in handcuffs? Did you tell him to do that as well?"

"No," Violet protested, almost too loudly. "He trusted me, that's why we came here. And I don't know why he just…he could have gotten away easily."

Helen smiled at her daughter. "Then why is this your fault?"

Violet opened her mouth then closed it again.

"You've been wallowing in your guilty for a month, and it hasn't done you or Robin any good. If you don't like what's happening then do something about it," Helen told her. "Or I'll send you to E and tell her you've been crying."

Violet actually smiled at that. "You wouldn't."

"Damn right I would. She'd probably give you the go, fight, win bit after hitting you upside the head a few dozen times," Helen chuckled. "It certainly worked on me."

Violet hugged her mother, thankful that even though everything else had gone to hell, she still had her mother to count on.

Helen hugged her back. "Get some sleep yourself tonight, okay Violet."

"Thank you, mom," Violet said sincerely.

"For what?"

Violet hugged her tighter. "For being….I know you don't like or trust Buddy. You could be acting like dad about all this, but you're not. Thank you."

Helen stroked her hair and kissed her forehead. "Oh baby," she whispered. "I'd move the stars to make you or your brothers happy. Just like I know both you and him would move the stars to make Robin happy. A man can't be a monster and love like that."

Violet rested her head on her mother's shoulder and prayed she was right. So much rested on that.

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Robin was wide awake, listening the voices out side her room.

She wondered how long it would be before she could sneak out of her room and play with Jack-Jack for a while longer.

Robin liked playing with Jack-Jack. He had lots of fun toys to play with and didn't mind sharing them with her. He liked building things with her and he could read way better than she could.

She liked that he would come and find her when the grown up started yelling. They shut the door to his room and play video games or climb up on the roof through the attic space above his closet.

Jack-Jack told her she was the only one outside his family not to be afraid of his what he called his monster form. She just thought he looked silly and would giggle until he laughed too and he'd turn into something else.

He told her not to be sorry about what her father did.

But she was.

Because it made Violet's daddy look at her in that strange way and leave her out of games he'd play with Jack-Jack.

Because it made Violet's mommy ask her odd questions about her daddy that Robin was sure Violet wouldn't like.

Because it was why he'd been taken away from her and Violet.

Because it made her feel like she'd done something bad by loving him.


	3. Chapter 3

"You certainly are giving them fits, aren't you?" a female voice laughed from the viewing window of Buddy's cell.

Buddy looked up from his book. A pink haired young woman stood half-leaning against the glass. He recognized her from when he'd been arrested. "Am I?" he asked. She seemed to know Violet fairly well and he'd already read this book three times now.

"They expected you to at least try and escape once by this point," she told him with a smirk. "I'm sure you have all parties concerned pulling out their hair, the ones that don't just want information from you that is."

"And you didn't expect me to escape?" he asked carefully.

She smirked again. "After all the trouble you went through to get in here? And I certainly don't expect you to talk."

"Who are you? I saw you talking to Violet that day…" Buddy murmured wishing he'd kept up better with the NSA. At one time, he'd known about almost all the operatives. Not only through Xerek's plants, but also by the fact that finding a super often was easily done through by following their liaison.

"I'd say no one to be trifled with, but that is such a clichéd line and I'm not a super of either persuasion," she told him with a slight grin. "Invisagirl has spoken rather favorably of you. Have a good day, Mr. Pine." She mocked saluted before she walked off.

Kathryn Dicker, of course, Violet's liaison. Daughter like father could be very loyal but often not to the NSA as much as the supers they worked with. She wasn't one of Xerek's, and she'd pretty much told him her loyalties in this case didn't fall with the NSA.

That didn't mean she was on his side.

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Helen Parr opened the front door to find Kathryn Dicker on her doorstep. "Kathryn…it's good to see you."

Kat grinned. "Hey, Mrs. P, can Vi and Robin come out to play?"

"What do you need them for?" Helen asked, almost suspiciously. Raised by Rick or not, Helen always had the feeling Kathryn had her own agenda that she kept to herself. She was too much like her mother that way, playing too many games at once and thinking it would never catch up with her.

"That is confidential and privy information between me and Vi," Kat told her leaning in slightly. "But I 

can divulge that we might get some ice cream and there might be a park with swings involved.

Helen sighed. "You two girls just be careful," she told Kathryn.

Kat nodded both of them understanding that they weren't talking about over-eating ice cream or falling down and skinning ones knee.

Helen didn't like it but she knew it whatever it was involved Buddy Pine and the potential for Violet to get hurt and not just physically. But this limbo they were hanging in had to break. "I'll go tell her you're here."

"So Robin will be able to visit him twice a week," Kat was saying and Violet wanted to strangle her.

They were sitting on a park bench watching Robin on the swings, but Violet barley saw her even though she was looking right at her. "What about me?"

Kat gave her a look as if she'd lost her mind. "Vi, have you heard a single thing I've said?"

"I want to see him," Violet told Kat, folding her arms across her chest. "Or talk to him. Just something." If it wasn't for Robin she'd think everything had been a dream. Or a nightmare.

"Because that would look so good for you, Violet. Did we forget the part about me having to lie through my teeth to keep you from having a matching cell?" Kat asked testily.

Violet was fairly certain Kat was stretching the truth a little. "You just need to get me into the building."

Kat dropped her head back and rubbed her temples. "Why should I go to the mat more for him?"

"He's not asking you. I am," Violet snapped.

"Vi…"

"I don't care what those idiots think. He's not the same man he was. He almost died, he lost his arm…isn't that enough punishment?" Violet demanded. She wanted him back, it wasn't fair. She could deal with him having to pay his debt in prison for a while but to never see him again? To be kept from even acting like she cared out of fear?

Kat was silent for a moment. "To some. No."

Violet whipped her head around staring at Kat's bleak expression. "Kat, you said you trusted me."

"And I do. But I don't trust him," Kat told her with a heavy sigh. She pulled out a cigarette and lit it up, taking a long drag before she went on. "He killed Henry's father. Or at least had a part in his death."

"I didn't…"

Kat shrugged. "Neither did I until recently. Henry knows I think. A lot of people died on that island Syndrome had seven years ago. Simon J. Paladino was among them."

Violet wrinkled her forehead. The name sounded familiar and not just because of the last name. So which super was he? "Who…"

"Ask your father if you really want to know. Or your mum, he was at their wedding," Kat told her, leaning forward to rested her arms on her legs.

Robin laughter split the air as she raced up the stair of the wooden fort with another child. "Thank you for making sure Robin could see him," Violet finally said.

"Wasn't hard, just convinced the right people he might be more cooperative if he could see his kid," Kat told her, and then groaned. "To many fucking games going on in the NSA right now, Vi. Everyone has a racket."

Violet managed a smile. "You've always had one."

"Hey, tech always as a racket it's in our contracts. The only reason they let me liaison is because my father is close to retirement and your father wouldn't trust you and your brothers with too many other people, and neither would my father."

"What about Henry?" Violet asked even though she knew the answer.

"I'm the only one that can handle him and this way they don't have to admit to themselves that an agent was fucking a super or that supers can have mental breakdowns," Kat's voice was icy.

Violet pressed her lips together. "You know I'm sorry about what happened to him."

"So am I. So is he. So is everyone. It's a goddamn pity party and how the hell we wind up talking about my pathetic excuse for a life?" Kat asked with a twist of a smile.

Violet smiled serenely. "It's one of my powers?"

"Bitch," Kat said affectionately, flicking ashes on to the pavement by her feet.

"Freak," Violet shot back.  


Kat started to laugh and Violet joined in, laughing until their sides hurt. When they could catch a breath, Kat shook her head. "So you really love this guy?"

"Something like that," Violet admitted.

Kat nodded, watching Robin. "Ten minutes."

Violet blinked confused. "What?"

"I can get you ten minutes," Kat said softly, taking another drag off her cigarette. "He better know how fucking lucky he is."

Violet could only bite her lip and nod.


	4. Chapter 4

When Kat Dicker had appeared at his cell and told Buddy that he'd had a visitor, Buddy hadn't expected to soon have his arms wrapped up around his daughter.

Part of his was sure this was a dream and that Robin really didn't have her small face pressed into his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, daddy," Robin whispered. "Didn't mean it, don't hate you." Her face was wet and Buddy rocked her gently.

"Shh, its okay. I know you didn't mean it, baby," Buddy assured her. "It's alright, don't cry."

Robin sniffed and lifted her head. "Violet's daddy said you're in jail, is this jail?"

Buddy winced slightly, he was sure Mr. Incredible was bad mouthing him to Robin every chance he got. "Yeah, this is jail. What else does Violet's daddy tell you?" he asked.

"He tells me and Jack-Jack stories 'bout supers sometimes, but he doesn't like talking about you. And if makes Vi and her mommy mad if he starts to." Robin hesitated a moment, regarding her father carefully like she was deciding something. "Are you bad?"

Buddy ran his left hand shakily over her back. "I was."

"Am I bad?" Robin asked softly.

"No," Buddy said firmly. "Who told you that you were?"

Robin hugged him again not answering him. "Vi misses you. She wanted to come too but they wouldn't let her."

Buddy wondered how much Violet really had wanted to come see him. Who could keep an invisible girl from going where she wanted to, after all? It had been a month since they'd seen each other and plenty of time for her parents to have swayed her. To have her believing that he'd been using her and that any feelings she thought she had were due to Stockholm syndrome.

And pity.

Buddy stroked Ro's hair with his left hand again, and looked at the metal of his right one. "Tell her I miss her too," he finally said softly. "Are you…happy staying with Violet?"

"I like Jack-Jack, he's fun to play with and Vi's mommy makes the best cookies -- almost better than Violet's," she whispered. "But-- when can we go home?"

Buddy squeezed his eyes shut and pressed a kiss to the top of his daughter's head.

"You both better freaking well appreciate this," Kat muttered half to herself, half to Buddy and half to the presence behind her as she took Robin's hand to lead her out of Buddy's 'room'. "Ten minutes."

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Buddy watched her lead Robin away confused at her words. But she was a rather confusing young lady from what he'd seen of her. She'd come asking him questioning in odd round about ways, never actually coming out and really asking what it was she was asking. He could appreciate her tactics though. He remembered vaguely something about her being a tech girl before taking over her father's position. And like her father she seemed have loyalties that sometimes went against those signing her pay checks, something he himself could understand.

How long had he pretended loyalty to Xerek while hating?

Suddenly the air in front of him shimmered and Violet Parr was standing there with a slight smile. "Hi."

He inhaled sharply. No, she couldn't really be there. She couldn't really be risking -- if they caught her here.

Violet threw her arms around him. "We've got ten minutes before Kat's jammer stops working. God, Buddy, I've missed you."

"Vi?" He said stupidly, touching her face with his real hand.

"Can't get anything passed you can I?" she teased.

"Why are you here? Damn it, if your caught in here --" Fury filled him. At her for risking this. At that named pink haired bitch for letting and helping her. At himself for getting her involved to start with.

Violet rolled her eyes. "Then I'll deal with it." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Now you tell me why you let them take you without a fight. You've got the zero point tech built into your arm, you could have taken them easy. We could have spent the last month on your island instead of me going out of my mind with worry…and why they hell did you let my father make that phone call?! Why didn't you tell me what you'd planned? Why did you have to play martyr and make me feel…" she hit her fist against his chest.

Buddy very carefully wrapped his arms around her and pressed her to his chest. "Listen to me, Violet. Xerek cannot act against me while I'm in here. It attract to much attention to him, attention he doesn't want. You and Robin are safe."

"No we aren't." Violet hissed, pushing away from him. He let her go. "We haven't been safe. My parents think they were normal villain fights, protecting and serving and all that shit. And Kat thinks he has people in the agency. And even if we iwere/i safe…how could you do this to Robin? You were all she knew. You're her father and you abandoned her."

Buddy shook his head in denial. "No… I was trying to protect her -- both of you."

"I don't need to be protected but you can't protect anyone in while you're in here Buddy," Violet told him, her chin thrust out angrily.

He smile slightly, despite himself. "I've missed you."

Violet blinked rapidly. "Asshole."

"I know." He stood up and hugged her again. "I don't deserve you doing this for me."

"I know, but I'm doing it any way," Violet told him. She rose up on her tip toes and kissed him. "I should go. I'll try to come back soon. We'll get you out of here and deal with Xerek."

Buddy closed his eyes. "Violet."

"Don't argue with me about this, you aren't staying here."

He put a finger to her lips. "Do something for me?"

Violet eyes searched his face before she nodded.

"In New Jersey there's a nursing home. Oak Visions. Take Robin with you and visit Mrs. Elaine Summers. Robin knows her."

"Buddy…" Violet sounded unsure.

Buddy kissed her forehead. "Please."

After a few more moments, Violet nodded. "Alright. I-- I should go, times almost up." She stretched up again and kissed him fiercely. "I'm not going to change how I feel. I know my own mind, Buddy."

Buddy let her go, and wished he could believe her.

Violet walked to the door before disappearing out of view. "Do--do you remember killing a Simon Paladino?" Her voice was soft and shaky.

The name tickled something in his brain and it took him a moment to piece it together. "Gazerbeam… I…" he could deny it. Say he didn't remember it or that really it was the man's own stupidity… "Yes. I killed him. Was quite proud of myself too."

He heard Violet make a small sound.

"I'm a bad bad man, Violet." He turned away from the door.

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Violet held herself together. She had too.

She couldn't cry in front of Robin. The little girl wouldn't understand it and it would just upset her.

And Kat -- Kat had more reason to be upset then she did. Though Kat would be more upset on Henry's behalf -- Vi took a moment to wonder if she'd ever be able to think of Henry using his 'super' name ever again.

She didn't know why she'd asked. Or what response she thought she'd get.

She knew he had killed him. Had she wanted him to deny it? To not remember him at all?

She held herself together until she got home. Robin went off to play with Jack-Jack in the back yard, and Violet stood by the door watching them. And started crying.

"Violet, honey, what's wrong?" her mother's arms wrapped around her and Violet didn't know how long she'd been standing there crying.

Violet shook her head crying in her mother's arms. "He killed people," she sobbed. "I knew-- I knew he had -- how could I not -- I --he killed Supers and he was proud of it. Oh god, he was proud of it, mom."

Helen hugged tightly and thankfully didn't say a word.

"Even if his changed -- and he has --I know he has -- he killed people. He killed Gazerbeam and was proud of it --how can-- I don't know--" she dissolved into wordless sobs.

"Gazerbeam was one of the best out there, Violet," Helen said softly after a moment. "I'd call Syndrome a liar if he ever said he was proud of being able to take him down. "

Violet looked up. "Mom?"

Helen shook her head. "Violet, I know it can seem very romantic forgiving someone their past. It always seems so easy in movies doesn't it?" She kissed her daughter forehead. "Forgiveness -- it isn't an easy thing to give under the best of circumstances. And the person has to want to be forgiven. And some things --some things you can't forgive."

"Mom you don't…"

"Some things you can't forgive because you aren't the one that they need forgiveness from, Violet. I'm not telling you to forget what he did, or to accept it. But some of his past Violet --it isn't your place to even try to forgive him." Helen kissed Violet's forehead again. "You had a very intense four months with him, Violet, and I know you think you -- care very deeply for him. But he's not a good man. He might not be a 'bad man' anymore, but he's not a good one either."

Violet buried her face against her mother's shoulder. "I don't know what to do."

"Yes, you do," Helen whispered stroking her back. "Just remember something for me….your father hasn't always been a good man either."

Violet sniffed and stood in the circle of her mother's arms a while longer. "Mom?"

"Yes, honey?"

"I need to visit someone in New Jersey -- will you come with me?"


	5. Chapter 5

Robin slept through most of the car ride, and Violet was glad to be able to avoid all the questions about where they were going.

Buddy might have said Robin knew the woman they were going to meet but it didn't mean she'd recognize the name. And Violet secretly worried about just who this Elaine Summers was that Buddy so wanted her to visit.

She could have asked Kat to find about all number of things about this woman for her, her mother had even suggested it, but Violet wanted to trust that Buddy wasn't sending her into something dangerous. He'd trusted her with so much after all, even trusted her with the truth.

"You're awfully quite, Violet," Helen said from the passenger seat. "Did you get enough sleep last night?"

"I'm fine, mom. Just thinking." Violet smiled slightly. "I got plenty of sleep. Robin didn't wake up at all."

Helen nodded. "She's finally settling in."

Violet chewed on her bottom lip. "I should look for an apartment."

"Violet," Helen sighed. "You don't have to do that. Both you and Robin are safer at the house."

"Or you, dad, Dash and Jack-Jack are in danger by us being there," Violet pointed out.

Helen laughed. "Violet, I'm fairly certain a house full of Supers is much safer than a apartment with just you and Robin."

"At least in an apartment I wouldn't have to see Dash's ugly face all the time," Violet giggled. "Oh, I think that's it," she said as they came up upon what looked to be a grand estate.

"That has got to be the fanciest nursing home I've ever seen," Helen commented.

"We there yet?" Robin's sleepy voice came from the back seat.

Violet pulled up the gate. "Yeah, we are kiddo."

Robin suddenly squealed with delight. "Grandma! We're going to see grandma! Grandma! Grandma!" she exclaimed excitedly, practically bouncing in her car seat.

Violet shuttered as she told the guard who they were there to see, because out of all the things she'd expected from Robin. That was not one of them.

The guard checked the list and opened the gate for them, directing them to the visitor parking lot.

Helen found her voice first as Violet pulled into a parking spot. "Do you and your father visit her a lot, Robin?"

"No," Robin told her, trying to undo the buckles of her own car seat. "Came last year. Grandma gave me a toy bunny and I got to play with a kitty named Whiskers. Mr. Erik gave me cookies and milk and took me to see the duckys!"

"Hold still, Ro," Violet told her. "You'll just get tangled." Violet climbed out of the car and opened the back door so she could undo the buckles herself.

Robin scrambled up into Violet's arms, and Vi settled the little girl on her hip. She glanced over at her mother.

"Just because Robin calls her grandmother doesn't mean that," Helen told her daughter, knowing what was going through Violet's head.

"But what if it does?" Violet asked as they headed to the front door. Robin was chattering happily, more energetic then Violet had seen her in days.

They were greeted graciously by an attendant who remembered Robin and exclaimed at how much she'd grown before showing them to "Ms. Elaine's" rooms.

Helen leaned in close to her daughter as they walked, nodding towards an elderly man being pushed in a wheelchair. "That's Tommy McCoy, he was a Crime Lord in the 40's."

Violet's eyes widened, but she said nothing.

When the door to Elaine Summer's rooms was opened a white haired elegant looking woman rose to greet them. "Hello, I must say this is a surprise. Buddy said you might be visiting but I had expected him to call first."

"Grandma!" Robin scrambled down from Violet's arms and ran across the room.

Elaine scooped her up into a hug. "Oh my, what a big girl you're getting to be." She set her back down and looked at Violet then frowned slightly looking behind her. "Where's Buddy?"

Violet opened her mouth then closed it, then opened it again. "He couldn't -- that is to say --"

"I see, " Elaine said softly. "I was hoping things would be resolved with out that."

Violet couldn't find words, and the question threatened to burst out from her.

Helen saved her from answering. "I think he did what he thought was best to protect Robin," she said softly. "I'm Helen Parr and this is…"

"Violet, yes, Buddy told me about you," Elaine gestured for them to sit. "You've had a long drive, please sit down. I'll see if I can't get up some lemonade and cookies. You would like that Robin? Then perhaps Erik can show you Whisker's new kittens."

Robin's eyes grew big. "Can I, Vi?"

Violet nodded. "I can't see why not," she told the little girl, then looked up at Elaine. "This might sound rude -- or maybe stupid but -- who are you to Buddy?"

Elaine smiled taking Violet's hand and patting it. "I'm his mother."


End file.
